About

About….. Natalie

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt different, always loved to create things (but always strived to want to make it better) and always loved to see the smiles on peoples’ faces when they open a unique gift or memory quilt (with tears in their eyes) that I have made especially for them. Plus, it’s so cool to watch the look of pride , the “WOW, I made this?! I Rock” look on student’s faces when they successfully completed a project all by themselves!

I learned how to sew in my junior and senior High School Home Economics classes. From there, I experimented, taught myself how to quilt, read multiple how to books, and took a multitude of quilting classes, art and quilt retreats, art classes on various techniques and styles, hours of YouTube tutorials. As an artist, I am self taught and have been creating and sewing since I was 14 years old. I am best described by this phrase: Whimsical, playful, Outside of the Box Artist!

A big thrill for me was to be able to sew for myself and my son, creating some fantastic Halloween costumes from his various figurines along the way. This has all led me to want to share my passion of sewing/quilting with others so I now teach kids to sew, ages 7-77 years.

My classes are tailored to each client’s specific goals and the techniques they need to complete projects they are excited about! Some of the technique classes with create the same project; however, I always will encourage you all to step out at a level you are comfortable with to create uniqueness in your piece! If you want to create the same, that is ok too…the classes are about fun, exploring and knowing that mistakes are just happy accidents!

(Click here to see the listing of current classes) I love to play with a variety of textiles (including unusual ones like bounce sheets that I turned into a jacket and used tea bags that made themselves into a purse), embellishments, thread sketching, etc. Over the past years, I have won various wearable art competitions (placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd place) at Heritage Park Quilting Arts Festival. The best part is being able to make one of a kind pieces that show personality, humor, and interesting designs that want to be noticed! I now want to share some of these pieces with others … thus www.Thequiltersblock.com !

I’ve created everything from dolls, quilts, art quilts, funky jackets, handbags (both functional and those made from unique items like tea bags, paper or plastic bags), clothing, paintings, beaded projects, wire wrapping, clay, and knitting. To see the current items available for purchase now, click here. All of these hours and hours of experimenting and playing in my studio has lent itself to my mixed media fibre art that is evolving at this moment. Please come back to see the new product line launching in September. So excited to see how it all finishes, and hope you will be too!

My sources of inspiration are varied depending on the project or technique I have chosen to work with. Often I will gain inspiration from a fabric, or a photo, or the specific person I am making something for. After talking with clients I talk with them to get to know them, their interest, likes/dislikes and get inspiration from there. If I am working with a specific technique I will sometimes start with a photo or a fabric or will just start doodling or playing so the art evolves into something I can get excited about.

I use a variety of techniques: I will doodle images on blank fabric to create my own unique fabric, or will use tea bags or bounce sheets to create fabric or will piece fabrics or weave fabrics until I am happy with it. I also will free motion quilt on a solid fabric and will then color fabric. I will sometimes take a fabric and translate it using fabric to recreate the image or a representation of same. I also play with photos and will use various transfer techniques, will paint my fabric etc… Fabric and sewing are my passion and love to share fun, color and uniqueness!
My dream is to become a full time fibre artist where I create unique art items for others. To teach, inspire and encourage other people while travelling and creating “Pop Up” class venues in various cities along the way! Creating is a breath for the soul, and makes the heart sing, and who doesn’t want more of that?!

Find Us

Address
Calgary, AB

Hours
Monday—Friday: 9:00AM–5:00PM

About This Site

Natalie Robinson adorns clothing with whimsical images of people, animals, flora and abstract images; sometimes using unusual media (ie used dryer bounce sheets or tea bags) in her art. When creating her custom work she captures individual personalities and taste.